Filler cap fastener



Feb. 22, 1938. A, MARSH FILLER CAP FASTENER Filed Allg. 4, 19:56v

Patented Feb. 22, 193s 2,109,132?I UNITED STATES rarest orties FILLER C'AP FASTENE-R Harold A. Marsh, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 4, 1936, Serial No. 94,131

1 Claim. (C1. 292-201) This invention relates to filler caps for autothe housing il) around the aperture Il in order to mobile gasoline tanks and the like and more protect the housing from injury by the hose particularly to a remote controlled locking device nozzle or the like which is inserted through the to prevent the filler cap from being opened by aperture. A. sealing ring 25 may be carried by 5 unauthorized persons. a flange 2t of the cap I2 in a position to engage An object of the invention is to provide a the under side of the housing I@ around the cheap, simple, convenient and dependable device aperture ll for effecting .a substantially tight seal of the type above indicated. when the cap is closed.

A feature of. the invention consists in the pro- A latch 28 is mounted in the latch compartvision of a latch for a iiller cap which is conment i3 and is pivoted by a pin 29 which is car- 10 trolled by an electromagnet operated by a reried in brackets 30 formed on a plate 3| Which mote switch, as for example on an automobile is adapted to be secured to the outside of the instrument board. housing lll for closing the latch compartment Another feature consists in the provision of I3 and the magnet compartment I4. The latch electrical actuating means for a filler cap latch 2li projects through a slot 32 formed in the wall 15 in which all wires and contacts are housed in 33 of. the latch compartment I3 and may be held a closed compartment and are not exposed to in position under the flange 2e of the cap I2 by the contents of the tank. a spring 34. In certain instances the device may Other features consist in the details of conbe mounted so that the cap is held in latched 2o struction and combinations of parts hereinafter position by gravity, in which case the spring 34 20 more fully set forth. may be omitted. An armature 35 of magnetic Although the novel features which are believed material is attached to the latch 23 and is to be characteristic of this invention will be adapted to control the position of the latch in pointed out more fully in the claim appended the manner to be described.

25 hereto, the broader aspects of the invention The magnet compartment I4 contains a pair 25 will be better understood by referring to the of electro-magnets lll having cores 4I and shells following description taken in connection with 52 Wheh are Secured t0 Said Cores and form the the accompanying drawing in which one embodimagneti@ beth. COIS 43 are suitably dsPOSed ment thereof has. been set forth for purposes of bOIlt the COleS 4t- The COleS M are provided.

3o illustration. with pole pieces 4t which are located adjacent 30 In the drawing the wall i5 separating the magnet compartment Fig. l is a perspective View of an automobile M from the letCh Compartment i3. The Dole showing the relativo location of the various parts pieces 4i are preferably mounted closely adjacent in accordance with the present; invention, said wall and the armature is so located that it 35 Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the lies adjacent the wall when the electro-magnets 35 11er cap and control mechanism, are energized. The wall 45 is made of brass or Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of, the llor oop other non-magnetic material so as not to interand fere with the operation of the electro-magnets Fig. 4 is a section taken on lino 4 4 of Fig, 2, til. Obviously this wall should be made thin so Referring to the drawing more in detail, the 24S t0 TedllCe the gab between the armature 35 40 ller cap and control mechanism is shown as and the DOle DeCeS` 44 t0 the lOWeSt pIeCtCel supported in a housing In which may comprise, value. It is to be understood that a particular for example, a casting of brass or other nontype 0f eleCtI'O-megnet has been ShOWIl OI D111'- magnetic material. This housing I is provided DOSeS Of illustration Only and theft @my Other 45 with a central aperture II in which a cap I2 is Suitable type may be emD1Oyed- 45 seated. The housing also has a separate latch The COlS 43 are CODIleCted by e Cable 48 t0 a compartment I3 and a magnet compartment I4, Switch 49 which may be mounted 0n the nStIU.- The housing is secured to a filler pipe i5 leading merit beard 59 0f the eIltOmOble and may be to a gasoline tank l5 by suitable means such as eetllted by 2 key 5l. t iS t0` be llIlCeI'StOOd, rivets I'I. v however, that the switch 49 may be mounted in 50 The capl I2 is mounted on a bracket 20 which other locations and that a push button switch is hinged toa pin 22 carried in the housing l0 and may be employed in the event that a key operis provided with a spring 23 which normally ated switch is not required. holds the cap I2 is closed position. A lining ring It will be noted that in the above described 24 of steel or similar hard material is secured in device, the ller cap is normally latched and 55 cannot be opened except when the latch is released by actuation of the switch 49. In that event it can be opened by merely pressing the hose nozzle against the cap. When it is desired to iill the tank, the operator of the car closes the switch 49 while the attendant is inserting the hose nozzle, thereafter the switch may be released and the ller cap will automatically return to latched position when the hose nozzle is removed. The cap accordingly prevents unauthorized opening of the gas tank,

for any purpose. It is primarily intended for use on automobile gas tanks, but it may also be used for other purposes as, for example, on the exposed filler pipe of. an oil tank supplying an oil burning domestic furnace with the switch located in the house.

In the embodiment shown, the cap opens inwardly. It is to be understood, however, that the cap may be mounted to open outwardly and may have spring means to maintain full open or full closed position as desired. The latch may operate automatically on closing or may be arranged to close in response to an electromagnetic impulse.

Although a practical embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration,rit is applicable for various uses. Various changes and modifications may be made 39,therein Without departing from the scope of the invention which is limited only in accordance with the. following claim when interpreted in View of the prior art.

I claim:

A fastener construction for a iiller pipe closure including a housing having a bore fitting on said ller pipe, separate magnet and latch compartconstruction comprising a pivoted latch in said latch compartment normally underlying the free edge of said cap to hold the same in closed position, an armature of magnetic material carried on said latch, an electromagnet in said magnet compartment cooperating with said armature to release said latch and a Wall of nonmagnetic material separating said magnet compartment from said latch compartment to isolate said magnet compartment whereby any vapors within said pipe are prevented from coming in contact with any part of the electrical circuit,'said electromagnet, when energized, acting through said wall to attract said armature so as to release said latch and permit said cap to open inwardly.

4HAROLD A. MARSH. 

